The Addict
by The Sardonic Sophist
Summary: After an attack on Alice, she is forced to consume human blood, a powerful and addicting drug-like substance to vampires. She must find a dealer who will allow her to consume their blood. Bellice. Darkfic, but not that dark. Read if it sounds interesting.
1. The Attack

**Alright, so this is intended to be much darker than my other story. The updates on this will be much slower than on my other story and this chapter is mostly to evaluate the interest in the story. If a lot of people show an interest, I'll write more. If not, then I'll finish my other story and then get back to writing this. Or I may periodically update this story, but update The Bird and The Thorn more regularly. It all depends on the interest. **

**This fiction will develop into an Alice+Bella story following the next chapters and more things about the coexisting vampire/human worlds will begin to unfold. **

**Alright, I'm done. Read on.**

_Alice_

Alice looked coolly at the man she was evaluating. James, thirty-four years old, no wife, no kids, no job, no degree, no diploma. No sickness. How he expected to pass the tests to become a vampire, she had no idea.

"And you believe you're a qualifying host because?" Alice asked tiredly. She had interviewed fifteen odd people that day and only one really deserved the _Anti-Senescence_ virus.

Because that was what it was all about now, deserving things. The gift of vampirism didn't just go to the sick anymore. The people who really _needed _the virus weren't the only ones getting it. Hell, they weren't even getting it anymore. No, those who were lucky enough to get the virus now were those who were important enough to be kept alive for hundreds of years. Scholars, scientists, athletes, anyone who was worth something, those were the chosen hosts for the virus.

Everyone dies. Everyone is on the verge of dying. It could be a year, a month, a day, a millisecond, everyone could use the virus. If everyone who needed the virus got it, then the world would over-populate. Humans would still reproduce and the vampire population would grow and grow until they outnumbered the humans. The human government wouldn't allow that to happen. That's why "Operation: Cheat Death" is really "Operation: Save the Prodigies."

Out of this requirement of some sort of exceptional talent came the Viral-Consultants. They interviewed those who apply for the preparation and injection of the virus and determine whether or not they qualify. They pass their results to the medical professionals who would either accept or deny the applications. Alice was one of the lower Viral-Consultants. She interviewed those who weren't suggested or backed by a higher-up official of some sort. That was why she was stuck with mostly mentally unstable drug addicts seeking immortality and an easier life. As if being a vampire was easy.

"Well," James's voice shook slightly, nervous about his final interview. "I'm smart, you see. I've done a lot of independent studying because I've not got a job, you know. I live with my brother, he's a vampire."

"Yes, the Addict, I remember," Alice answered, examining her fingernails. "Do you have any illnesses that qualify you?" She knew he didn't. She just needed to hear him say it. Then she could write it down in her chart and have him on his way.

"W-well, well, I've heard, from um, from somebody," James stalled, stuttering still. "I've heard that uh, that the uh, virus, it um, it can heal disorders, like schizophrenia and things like that…"

"A myth," Alice dismissed. "_Anti-Senescence _increases and worsens most disorders and mental illnesses." She ran her fingers through her dark, spiked hair. "Do you have any life threatening diseases?"

James paused. "Well, no," he hesitated. "But, but cancer runs in my family," he said in a panic, noticing Alice had begun to write. "And I'm into some shit right now, some really bad shit," Alice raised a brow. "Well, vampires don't crave drugs anymore, right? After they've been injected, they don't want any illegal substances, right?"

"The hosts who were previously drug addicts usually move on to human blood. A lesson learned from your brother, Laurent." Alice wrote another quick note in her book. "Is that all?" she asked.

"Well, I mean, I'm a pretty good athlete. I was on the high school wrestling team for a couple years, before I dropped out," James said hopefully.

"And other than your love for the male genitalia, what does that tell me about you?" Alice asked, shaking her head. "Look, James…" she glanced down at her chart. "White. Mister White, look, you're not really a qualifying host for the virus. I'm sorry."

"Can I ask you something, Alice?" James said quietly.

"Miss Brandon, and yes, you may," Alice answered confidently.

"How do you qualify for the virus?" he asked. "I mean, you're a vampire right?" All traces of nervousness in his voice were gone, replaced by a cool resentment. "You're not a star athlete, you work a shitty job, you're not that smart, so why are you a vampire? What makes you so _fucking_ special?" he spat.

"Well…" Alice hesitated. "I don't remember why," she answered after a moment. And it was the truth. Five years ago she woke up as a vampire in a lab. That was the last thing she remembered. "I might have been some home-experiment in an underground lab. I really have no idea."

"So you can use the virus without medical aid?" James said, an excited smirk beginning to spread across his face. "You don't _need _the preparation?"

Alice shook her head quickly. "No, you definitely need it. It's incredibly dangerous for a human body to be unprepared to take the virus. Take a pamphlet about it-" Alice was cut off.

"Oh, I know all about the virus. Sores, insanity, fire in your skin, all that good stuff," James let out a small, humorless chuckle. "But what you're saying is that there's a tiny, tiny chance a person can survive without professional preparation?"

"No!" Alice protested. "I'm not saying that at all."

"Thank you Miss Brandon, but I've heard enough," James dismissed, an unstable looking smile beginning to spread across his face. "Thank you for your time." He paused for a moment. "This may be a little forward, but would you like to get a drink when you get off work?"

"I'm sorry James, but you're barking at the wrong tree," Alice rejected him coolly.

James shook his head. "Of course, you think I'm a freak," he said, rage beginning to show in his voice.

Alice was genuinely worried for her safety. She'd had armed people come into her office before, and although she was probably much stronger than he was, if he pulled a knife on her, he had the upper-hand. "No, you're just not my type," Alice corrected him.

"What's your type?" James accused. "Sexy fucking six packed vampires?" he growled. "Mocking me, you fucking bitch!"

Alice shot him an irritated look. "I'm gay, you fucking idiot. Get the fuck out, I've got another appointment and I need to get ready!" she hissed.

"They let dykes work here?" he jeered. "Well now I know why I was turned down. You're a fucking sexist whore. You hate fucking men; don't want them in your world. You let any fucking slut in here who wears her skirt without panties, but any guys you turn down. I should have known."

"Leave," Alice snarled. "Now. Before I force you out."

James's expression turned stony. "If you insist. I'll see you later, Miss Brandon," he said in a tone that suggested much more than just a casual goodbye. He walked out of the room, slamming the door as he left.

"Creepy mother fucker," Alice sighed, covering her face with her hands. One more interview. Just one more interview. She heard a knock on her door. "Come in!" she called.

A dark figure came in. He was tall and lean and wore a pair of glasses with circular lenses. Alice recognized him from somewhere, but she couldn't remember where. "Hello!" she greeted, trying to sound friendly and not totally done with the day.

"Hello, Miss Brandon," the man greeted her. "Sorry, I've forgotten to introduce myself. I'm Doctor Carlisle Cullen." He reached to shake her hand. As a doctor, he had a huge chance of passing the evaluation. Unfortunately for her, this meant an assload of paperwork and extra hours.

"It's nice to meet you, Doctor," Alice said pleasantly, taking his hand and smiling as she shook it gently. "Sit, please."

Carlisle took his seat, glancing at the clock. "Sorry, I'm not actually here for me," he explained, opening his mouth wide to show his elongated canines. "My son Edward was supposed to be here, but he's still in class, so I came as sort of an introduction to him, I suppose. I don't know if he'll be able to make it today."

"Alright, so what are his qualifications?" Alice asked professionally. "How old is he?"

"He's twenty-one," Carlisle answered. "We figured he would graduate from college and spend a year doing typical college guy partying stuff before he was infected."

"And he's spent a fair amount of time around you, so he must be fairly comfortable with the idea of drinking blood?" Alice asked. Carlisle nodded. "And this is his choice and not yours, correct?"

"It's our choice. He wants to be a doctor, he wants to help people and use an infinite amount of time to do so," Carlisle explained. "He wants to be like his dad," he finished proudly.

"What kind of Doctor are you, Doctor Cullen?" Alice inquired.

"Well," he hesitated. "I used to administer the virus, but after some problems with that, I'm working in the ER mostly."

"Is that how you became a vampire?" Alice asked. "Because you were qualified to prepare and give people the virus?" There was something strange about the doctor that Alice was struggling to figure out.

"Yes," he answered. "I believe so."

Alice nodded. "And what kind of problems caused you to lose that qualification?" This could be a deal-breaker for him. If his son was even related to someone who could have possibly given the virus to someone who hadn't undergone evaluation, it would be very hard for him to pass.

"I'm still very much qualified to do the treatment," Carlisle defended. "After certain events, I just find it unpleasant and hard to do now."

"So there are no legal reasons behind your transition to working in the ER?" Alice pressed. She had to be one hundred percent sure. If Carlisle was qualified to give the virus, his son had huge connections. She wasn't even sure why he bothered with the evaluation.

"No," Carlisle answered, shaking his head. "Just felt like I was needed elsewhere."

Alice smiled. "I guess we're good then."

"Really?" Carlisle asked, surprised. Did he really not know how easy it was for someone with connections to become a vampire? God, it was sick how easy it was.

"Yeah, well, Edward's going to be a doctor, doctors get accepted. He's the son of someone who still has the qualification to turn someone vamp," Alice replied. "With connections, anyone can become a vampire."

Carlisle nodded. "Alright, well, I'll send him back to you. I'd still like you to evaluate him. Just to be sure he's ready."

Alice's eyes widened in surprise. "Well, okay," she said sheepishly. "Thank you for coming in, Doctor, I guess I'll see your son around later."

Carlisle smiled. "I guess you will." He began walking towards the door. "Oh, by the way, there was a man outside your office muttering and pacing. I'm not sure who he is, but you should be careful."

Alice's eyes flickered to the door, worry washing over her. She hadn't been _that _rude to James, right? Was her mentally unstable client going to attack her in the night? "Thank you, Doctor Cullen," she answered finally. "I should be fine."

"Yes, well, it's lucky we're vampires I suppose. It's much safer for us than for humans," Carlisle said, opening the door and holding it for Alice.

Alice walked out, shaking her head. "You'd be surprised," she said. "In my profession, I often find myself in dangerous situations."

Carlisle nodded. "Yes, I suppose you would. Well, this is where we part ways. Be careful, Miss Brandon," Carlisle warned, before leaving the building without waiting for Alice to respond.

Alice walked to her car, feeling as though she was being watched. She shook her head, trying to shake the feeling with it, but it just stayed. While she was driving home, she kept looking back to check to see if someone was following her, but there was no one behind her in the dark roads.

"Calm the fuck down, Brandon," Alice hissed to herself as she turned on the radio. Of course, out of all the songs in the world, 'Every Breath You Take' came on. "You've got to be fucking kidding me," Alice grumbled as the chorus played. "Fate, this isn't fucking funny."

Deciding to forgo the radio, Alice drove home in silence, focusing on what was in front of her rather than what was behind her.

She pulled into her driveway and got out of her car cautiously, surveying the area carefully. Vampires had great senses and among their excelled senses, they had amazing, catlike night-vision. Alice didn't need a flashlight to tell her yard was creep free.

She unlocked her door and walked into her house, not bothering to turn on the lights. If James was going to break into her house, she would have the huge advantage of being able to see while he couldn't. Feeling extremely paranoid, she went to her kitchen and grabbed a large knife from her knife block. The kitchen was kind of pointless, as Alice didn't need to cook, but it was comforting to live in a human household, rather than one adapted for vampires.

Walking upstairs to her bedroom, she noticed dirt and scrapes on her hardwood stairs. Dirt and scrapes that were definitely not there before. Alice took excellent care of her home, and she prided herself on being an excessively clean person. She gripped the knife in her hand tighter and put herself into a crouched, defensive position. Her bedroom door was closed, and with her photographic, vampire memory, she definitely knew she had left it open when she had left.

"_Fuck," _she whispered. She pulled out her cell phone and turned it on. A loud 'DROID' echoed in the halls. _"Shit, shit, shit!" _Alice hissed, running down her stairs in an attempt to get the fuck away from who she assumed was James in her room.

"And where do you think you're going?" A deep voice rumbled behind her. Alice looked back and saw James, and a young girl, probably about twelve years old. "You only just got here."

Alice gripped her knife in her hands. "I've called the police, they'll be here soon," Alice bluffed. "Let her go and get the fuck out of here now and they might not catch you."

James rolled his eyes. "You think I care about that now?" he asked humorlessly, teasing a knife against the young girl's throat. "No, I'm so beyond caring. I'm very lucky my brother is such a generous vampire," he said with a sneer. "I should be fully transformed by the end of the week." He pressed the knife harder against the girl. "Besides, I know for a fact that the closest police station to here is at least twenty minutes away. I've got plenty of time."

"You say that now, but you really don't," Alice warned. "Let her go and we'll consider none of this ever happened. Hell, your beef is with me, leave her alone. She's got nothing to do with this. You're pissed with me."

"Oh, but Alice, my dear, this will be on your conscience for a long time…" James explained, licking a drop of blood from the girl's neck. Suddenly, he lifted his blade and made a long gash on her shoulder. "Come over here," he commanded.

Alice shook her head. "What are you going to do?" she asked, fear spreading through her voice like black ink.

"You'll drink, of course," James said with a chuckle. "I've heard that human blood to a vampire is more addicting than heroine." He ran his finger down the girls gash and brought it to his lips. "I've heard the catch-phrase for that anti-Addict campaign. 'Don't try it – won't do it.' Well, you're about to try it."

"No," Alice whispered. "That's sick, I won't do it."

"Do it or I'll kill her!" James barked. Alice walked over slowly, hiding her knife behind her back. "Don't you dare," James hissed. "Drop the knife on the floor and kick it over to me."

Alice hesitated before doing what he said. "Don't hurt her," she pleaded.

"She's already hurt, come here, stop stalling," James commanded forcefully, before running the knife down the girl's other should, causing her to let out a pained whimper. "I'll slit her throat and then make you drink it all!"

Alice hurried over. "Lean down, lick it off," James snarled. Alice shook her head. He pressed her knife to the back of her neck. "Fucking _do_ it. I won't ask again."

Alice bent down and licked a drop of blood off of the girl's shoulder. A huge surge of energy raced through her and she found it hard to keep herself standing up. By the time she had regained control, she had licked all the blood off the poor girl's shoulder.

"I guess it is pretty addictive," James concluded, running the knife across the girl's clavicle. Feeling extremely energized, Alice whipped around and punched James square in the jaw, hearing it crack on impact.

"Fuck yeah," she panted, bouncing up and down. She grabbed the knives from the man's hands while he was still incapacitated from the blow. She began kicking him in the face until she heard his nose crack. Finally, she gave him three hard kicks to the ribs.

"Come on," she murmured to the girl, who still stood terrified from what had just happened. "I'm not going to hurt you, it's okay, we need to go to the other room so I can call the police," Alice soothed. The girl stood on wobbly feet and followed Alice into the other room.

"Hello, my name is Alice Brandon, a man broke into my house and tortured a young girl in front of me," Alice breathed out. "Please, get here as soon as you can."

"_All right, ma'am, where is he now?"_ the officer asked.

"Knocked out at the foot of my stairs," Alice answered confidently. "I don't know when he'll wake up, but I hurt him pretty bad." She sighed. "He was given the vampire virus by an unqualified person though, so he might be a little more durable now."

"Okay, ma'am, the closest law enforcement officer to your home is about five minutes away, so just keep an eye on the attacker and make sure he doesn't get away.

Alice nodded. "Thank you sir." She hung up the phone and walked quickly into the other room. James was gone and her front door was wide open. _"You've got to be fucking shitting me," _she whispered. The girl followed after her, sitting at the foot of the stairs, which was covered in her own blood.

"Thank you for saving me," she said quietly. "I won't tell them what you did, I promise."

Alice nodded. "Thank you," she murmured. "What's your name?"

"Claire Young," the girl answered quietly. "When will the police be here?"

Alice looked at the clock. "Two minutes, hopefully," she answered. "Let me bandaged up, you're still bleeding." Alice ripped off a strip of her shirt and made a quick bandage out of it. "Here, put this on your worse injury."

A loud knock echoed throughout the house. "Police!" Alice heard through the door. She opened the door hurriedly. "Where's the attacker?" the cop asked gruffly.

"He got away while I was on the phone…" Alice said, feeling ashamed. "But his name is James White, and he has a vampire brother named Laurent White, he should be on record."

"Alright, we'll check it out," he promised. "I'm going to check the house to be sure he's not hiding somewhere, you follow me, okay?" he asked. Alice nodded. "Okay, close the door and lock it. If he's outside, we don't want him getting in."

Alice nodded and did as he said before following him quickly. "Come on," she said, gesturing towards Claire. She held out her hand and Claire took it gratefully.

"Well, everything looks okay to me, Miss," the officer said after finally surveying every inch of the house. "Lock everything and don't come to the door unless it's an officer. I'll be in the area looking around for any suspicious persons." He held out his hand. "Here," he requested. "I need the knives to dust for prints."

"Oh!" Alice said, forgetting she still had them. She handed them over. "Thank you so much," she said quietly. "You'll give Claire a ride home?"

He nodded. "Yes, of course."

"Thank you," Alice repeated.

"It's my job, ma'am, no need to thank me," he said charmingly. "I'm Jasper by the way," he introduced himself.

"Alice," Alice said with a kind smile.

After exchanging goodbyes, Alice ran around her house and proceeded to lock everything she could find with a lock. She couldn't sleep, so she lounged on her couch and watched the junk T.V. that was on late at night. Suddenly, the events that had happened that night hit her, and she began shaking uncontrollably. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she pulled her knees to her chest.

It was the first time in at least five years, the first time in her memory that she had cried. And then the cravings hit her.

**Author's note:**

**I know, you're all probably thinking "What? Another one, really?" But I'm a talkative person, and I've got more stuff to say. Okay, first of all, it's much more likely that I'll update more if you review, so I'm not asking for reviews, I'm just saying the more people seem to like this fiction, the more I'll balance the focus I have on both my stories. **

**So yeah, I'm thinking when things get more in-depth I'll start explaining more of the VampHuman world terminology at the end of each chapter, as a kind of glossary, but right now there really isn't enough. **

_**Anti-Senescence**_** is basically anti aging. I think that's the only term people might not be familiar with.**

**Alright, bye guys, I hope you enjoyed, tell me if you did ;)**

**- The Sardonic Sophist (Or Miranda, if you want to be best friends :P) **


	2. Meeting Bella

_Alice _

Alice woke to the shrill sound of her phone ringing. Her head, hands and body were all shaking as she looked around for her phone. It had been three days, three fucking days, and she was starting to break down. She'd taken all three days off work, not because she was traumatized that she'd been attacked, but worried that she'd rip open some poor person and drink all their blood until there was nothing left.

Finally finding it, she answered it on the last ring. "Hello?" she greeted shakily.

"Hey," a familiar voice rumbled on the other line. "It's Jasper, remember?" he asked politely. "I'm calling about the attack… Look, we examined the weapon thoroughly and well, we didn't find any prints. Claire's story hasn't changed and no one's accusing you of anything, I promise, I'm just calling to ask if you know of anything that could help us find him."

"Well his brother is a registered vampire, I know that…" Alice said after searching her jumbled thoughts for a moment.

"Alice, Laurent White is a registered vampire in Canada. He has no clue who James is. It was a lie," Jasper sighed sadly. "He didn't get the virus from him either. What he told three nights ago was a lie. We found a vampire dead, his wrists and throat cut. There was other blood around him, but it's useless now that James's blood has been tainted by the virus."

"How do you know it was James that killed him?" Alice asked shakily. James was just some scrawny, psychotic human, he couldn't overpower a vampire. Vampires weren't gods like some movies portrayed them to be, but they certainly were much stronger than humans.

"It's just a theory, but there was a piece of torn shirt found at the scene that Claire identified as a piece of the shirt James was wearing the night of the attack," Jasper explained. "But that's probably how he got the virus. We just have to hope he isn't one of the one in a million who survive the virus without medical aid." Jasper said sadly.

"Yeah," Alice said quietly. "Jasper, can I ask you something, and have you promise to keep it completely between us?" she started after a moment.

"Well, Alice, I'm a police officer, I can't just keep stuff from the chief…" Jasper said awkwardly. "Is it something about the case?"

Alice sighed. "No, not really." She ran her fingers through her hair nervously. "Do you know… If a vampire tried human blood… How long would it take for them to lose the cravings?"

She could practically hear Jasper tense up. "I'm going to come over, okay?" he said quietly. "We should talk about it in person." He hung up the phone before Alice could say anything.

Alice yawned, feeling the affects of the lack of sleep her cravings had caused. A loud knock on her door made her jump and it rang through her head like a bullet. "Fuck, is this what being hung-over feels like?" she grumbled, opening the door. "Hey Jasper," she greeted him with a weak smile.

"Do you know anything?" he hissed angrily. "You don't ever talk about human blood on the phone, don't you fucking know that?" He walked towards her and put his arms on her shoulders. "The HVA taps calls, they send Addicts to the Volturi, to the old man, don't you know you're never, _ever _supposed to mention _human blood._" Jasper was snarling at this point.

On rare occasions, vampires became much more primal than humans. They could make purring noises, growl quietly and snarl when provoked. They were the predator-evolution of humans. Of course, in order to keep them from overtaking the humans, to keep them from getting to arrogant, too ambitious, too power hungry, the Human Vampire Alliance or HVA was formed. They kept human and vampire rights corresponding and let no race have more power. Alice had no idea what the Volturi was though.

"Jasper, calm down," Alice said nervously. "I'm sorry, I didn't know. I'm not a cop, I'm not an addict, I've never been subjected to learning about any of that kind of stuff," Alice explained.

"Are you saying I'm an addict?" Jasper practically roared. "I've been clean for three months now, I'm not going to the fucking Volturi, they can't have me, I haven't done anything wrong!"

"Jasper, I mean you're a cop," Alice said, now truly frightened. "You know all this terminology because you learn about it in the academy. I never accused you of drinking human blood." Jasper shook his head, his whole body shaking. "Sit down Jasper," Alice requested nervously. Jasper took his seat on her couch and rested his head in his hands.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. "I've just found this perfect life. A new boyfriend, I've been a cop for a year now, and the chief's given me this fucking crazy case instead of boring street working and stuff. I can't go to the Volturi. They'll send me there if they think the call is suspicious, I know it."

"Jasper, calm down," Alice said soothingly. "I've heard some addicts experience extreme paranoia when they're quitting. Perhaps you're just over thinking this. What is the Volturi?"

Jasper looked away. "Vampires are permanently damaged after they've had human blood, you know? Most still need to drink it just to think straight, to function normally. I've been trying to live without it, I really have been. But as you can see, my emotions are… They're intense. I can't control them." He shook his head. "The Volturi is like vampire rehab, only they're there forever. It's torturous. Most vampires don't survive it. They're kept in a room unrestrained and the more insane ones attack each other. The ones who do survive wish they were dead. I've seen it… That's why I'm trying to stop drinking human blood."

"Permanently damaged?" Alice stuttered. "Even if you've only had it once?"

Jasper looked up at her. "I can tell when someone's craving it, you know. You don't crave it unless you've had it, but once you've tasted it, you always want it. The taste of human blood… it's indescribable. And the power you feel after you've had it. The energy. You've felt it, haven't you? That's how you beat up James so bad. The blood charged you up, and in that time you just…" Jasper snapped his fingers.

Alice began to shake. "You're saying if I don't drink human blood, I'll go insane?" she whispered.

"Am I insane?" Jasper asked humorlessly. "Yes, if loss of emotional control is your definition of insanity, then yes, you'll probably be insane. Look at how much you're shaking, I can see it from here. You're scared to go out, aren't you? You're scared you'll hurt somebody."

Alice nodded. "You want more blood, don't you?" Jasper asked sympathetically. "You want little Claire's blood. You want any girls' blood. You can smell the men, oh, you can smell the men, but you know that the blood of women is a hundred times more alluring, a thousand times better."

Alice nodded again, the temptation to get even just one more drop of human blood was too much to endure. "I know a girl," Jasper started. "You can't tell anyone this, you can't tell anyone about her, you can't tell anyone I told you about her." Alice stared at him mutely. "I'll take that as a yes. Her name is Bella, she's a freshman in college. Her dad is my boss, he doesn't know she's paying her college tuition with money from mostly selling her blood." Jasper shook his head. "She's pretty exclusive, she'll take one or two clients at a time and she sees them every day to ensure they don't go insane when they feed."

"Why so few clients?" Alice asked suspiciously. She wasn't sure if she could trust Jasper. He was pretty unstable and he was a cop. He was supposed to be arresting Alice, not referring her to a Dealer.

"She's expensive," Jasper explained. "Her blood is clean, it's rare, it's delicious. She used to deal to both men and women, but after some incident, she only takes female clients." He shrugged. "Openings are fairly frequent with her, most addicts get caught if they're not careful. Most addicts are stupid." He pulled out a piece of paper and wrote a number on it. "You look like you could probably use a hit soon," he said, glancing at Alice. "I'll call her and tell her to come over. Do you have any Hemo X?"

Hemo X was essentially vampire Splenda. It was supposed to taste similar to human blood, enough to chase the cravings for the real thing away. Or at least that was what the ad said. The only thing that could ease Alice's thirst was the real thing. She'd had Hemo at a party once, mixed in with her usual lamb's blood. It made her drink taste like shit, she'd never tried it again.

"No. It won't help, it's nothing like human," Alice said shaking her head.

"I know," Jasper agreed. "They market it as a cure for the cravings, but really it's just a way to catch people trying to recover." He snarled. "I hate the fucking HVA." He shook his head. "The sad thing is, they've been saving all these scientists and geniuses. Rather than catching vampires and torturing them, they could be focusing on actually helping them." He sighed. "I'm going to call Bella over. I'll stay while she gives you a taste to calm you down, because you are going to have trouble controlling yourself around her. She smells divine…" He pulled out his phone. "I'll be back in a moment."

Alice was left to her own devices. She dug her short nails deeply into her knee in a feeble attempt to distract herself from her growing excitement. The blood, the power, the energy. Alice felt her mouth begin to water. She didn't care about this Betty girl… Or was it Bella? She couldn't think. All she wanted was the sweet and potent blood. And she was going to get it! That thought alone made her stand and pace restlessly around the room.

"Hey, if you act all crazy, Bella's not going to let you drink, okay?" Jasper explained to Alice as he saw her well, acting crazy. He had significantly calmed down since his breakdown and now it was his turn to calm Alice. "Once she gives you the blood, I'm leaving. I can't be tempted by any of this. She's my boyfriend's little sister's friend, and if you fucking hurt her I'll come for you, I swear," Jasper warned. "I'll send you straight to the Volturi, to Aro. He pits the craziest vampires against each other and laughs as they rip each other to shreds."

Alice nodded. "I'm not going to hurt Bella, I promise," she said. And she meant it. Jasper's warning inspired a fear that was allowing Alice to think clearer. The mood swings were crazy. Was this what periods were like?

"Okay, good," Jasper said satisfied. "She'll be here in five minutes. I never really paid attention, but I guess she lives pretty close by," he observed, glancing at his watch. "Date with my man tonight, he'll be going vamp soon," Jasper announced with a sad smile. "I want to try to keep him away from all this illegal human blood shit. That's another reason I'm stopping."

Alice nodded. "That's noble of you," she complimented him. Although she wasn't really listening. She could practically feel the beat of Bella's heart as her finely tuned ears heard the scrape of tires on gravel in her driveway. It was calling to her. She could hear the blood moving, running through her veins like water in a river.

Jasper hit the back of her head. "Stop being so psycho," he hissed before opening the door. "Hey Bella!" he exclaimed, pulling the girl into a hug before Alice could even get a good look at her.

"Hi, Jasper!" Bella greeted him, her voice cheery, as if she wasn't about to sell her blood to a stranger. "How've you been?" she asked him politely. Jasper was still obstructing Alice's view.

"Pretty good, Bells, pretty good. Hey, I've gotta get out of here soon, I've got a date tonight and I need to get ready," Jasper explained. "And my friend Alice over here is thirsty as fuck, you know?" He moved out of the way and led Bella over to the couch.

As Alice watched Bella walk towards her sofa, she realized Bella's blood wasn't the only thing she was hungry for. Bella was exactly her type. Just a bit taller, lean but not scrawny. She was pale, but she probably wouldn't be if she didn't sell her blood. Alice was also very partial towards brunettes. Bella was like a gift from some God. Or maybe a devil, Alice wasn't sure.

"H-hey," she stuttered, taking her seat across from Bella. "Sorry for the mess, I'm still trying to get things settled and stuff after…" Alice trailed off, not knowing if Jasper had explained how they had met. Bella showed no signs of understanding. "Well, never mind, it's nothing," Alice dismissed.

Bella giggled. "You're really cute, Alice," she said with a small smile. "Alright, you're thirsty, yes?" Alice nodded. She felt pretty guilty about being so excited for this girl's blood. She was a girl, a person, a human. Not food. She shuddered, feeling far too animalistic for even thinking the way she did.

"Okay, well, I'm going to move into the kitchen for a second. You have paper cups, right?" she asked. Alice nodded. "Okay, good," Bella said. "I'll be right back." With that, she left the room, her little ass swaying with every step.

Jasper rolled his eyes. "You can stop staring at her like a piece of meat now," he grumbled. "If you eat her, I'll kick your ass."

"Which kind of eating?" Alice retorted. "You didn't tell me she was hot!" she hissed.

Jasper rolled his eyes. "Hello? Gay." He pointed to himself. "I don't see Bella that way. We're good friends." He shook his head. "It's not even relevant to you, she doesn't date clients, I know people who have asked her out."

Alice sighed disappointedly and reclined in her seat. "Thanks for ruining my hopes and dreams," she grumbled. "Does she have a girlfriend or a boyfriend?"

Jasper shook his head. "Not that I know of," he answered. "And trust me, I would know. Definitely no boyfriends, but she would tell me if she was seeing someone."

"So she's a lesbian?" Alice asked. The promise of blood was beginning to make her act more rationally, she could feel herself relaxing into the conversation. "Because if there's no dick in the pic, I've got this," Alice declared.

Bella came into the room with a curious expression on her face. She held a small Dixie cup in her hand, a shallow stripe of blood staining the bottom. "You've got what?" she asked amusedly.

"Oh, she's talking about what a player she is," Jasper said, rolling his eyes. "Bella, hun, I've got to go, I'm sorry," he apologized. Alice guessed that the smell of blood was too much for him. "I'll catch you later, alright?"

Bella nodded. "See you, Jazz," she said. Jasper let himself out quickly and Alice felt even guiltier for subjecting him to the temptation she was feeling.

"Thank you Bella," she said warmly, taking the cup from Bella's hands. She gazed into the crimson liquid with pure, savage hunger, but briefly wondered if she should drink it in a quick gulp or savor it.

"You should drink it before it clots," Bella suggested. "It'll get all chewy and gross soon. Like spoiled milk." She laughed lightly and Alice could feel herself smiling. The girl's moods were contagious.

Alice pressed the cup to her lips and felt the thick, warm liquid drop into her mouth slowly. It ran over each of her taste buds and slid down Alice's throat. She could taste everything, each bit of plasma, every mineral, every cell. She could taste the fucking color. And what she felt was power. With every little drop that fell from the cup and into her mouth, she could feel herself becoming more powerful, her body becoming energized and her mind becoming clearer.

When she was finished, she set the cup down. She fixed her eyes on Bella, a look of hunger radiating from them. But it wasn't hunger for blood, no, she wanted something else from Bella. Something much more special than blood.

"Alice?" Bella's soft voice broke Alice out of her lust filled thoughts. "You've been staring at me for three minutes now, is everything okay?" she asked. Of course, she was worried Alice had plans to drain her dry. But Alice wouldn't do anything like that, not to Bella. Not to someone so perfect.

"Sorry," Alice said quickly. "My senses are kind of hyperaware. I was just looking around," she lied. But she was sort of telling the truth. Her senses were much stronger now. She was hyper aware of things. She was just extremely hyper aware of the arousal wafting from Bella the longer Alice stared at her. She didn't date clients? She didn't date clients yet.

"You want to go to like a Starbucks or something?" Alice asked politely. "I don't have much human food around here, but I could buy you something to help your blood sugar, and maybe a coffee or something to keep you up, because you look kind of tired."

Bella smiled. "That's very sweet of you, Alice. I'd love to do that. And yes, I'm afraid between studying and giving blood, I'm pretty much tired all the time," Bella said. "I don't think any of my clients have ever offered to take me out somewhere after they drank." Bella grabbed her bag. "You ready to go?"

Alice nodded and walked to the front door, holding it open for Bella. "After you," she said sweetly. She grabbed her white hoodie off the coat rack next to the door and slid it on over her head. White colored things held the best protection from sun damage. Hosts of the vampiric virus were very sensitive to sunlight.

"Thank you, Alice," Bella responded with a soft smile. "Your car or mine?" she asked.

"I'd prefer mine," Alice answered. "I like driving," she explained, unlocking her car and opening the door for Bella. She felt the need to woo Bella as much as possible, to show her she wasn't just some druggie. Because she wasn't. She was Alice, and she needed Bella to know that.

"Jeez, Alice, you're like the sweetest girl I've ever met," Bella complimented her as they drove. "Seriously, you're like…"

Alice shrugged. "You must not know many girls," she said with a wink. "I'm just behaving how I was raised to behave." This was a total lie. Alice had no idea how she was raised. Alice had no idea who fucking raised her to begin with. "I can't imagine anybody treating a pretty thing like you badly," Alice flirted unsubtly.

Bella giggled. "I'm not treated badly, people just don't really take the time to do little things like you do," Bella explained. "It's really nice… that you do them though. It's sweet."

Alice grinned and internally cheered. She totally had Bella. Totally. Now that she had the blood in her system, she was feeling much better. She was feeling amazing, better than usual. She felt confident.

They pulled up to the parking lot in front of the café and walked inside together. "What would you like, Bella?" Alice asked. She pulled out a twenty from her wallet.

Bella's eyes scanned the menu. "I'll have a blueberry muffin…" she requested. "And… A hazelnut coffee." She smiled as Alice slid in front of her to pay. "Thanks," she whispered into her ear.

"Sure," Alice replied. They got Bella's meal and found a secluded spot in the corner. Bella broke off pieces of her muffin and slid them slowly into her mouth. If Alice didn't know any better, she'd say Bella was teasing her.

"What do muffins taste like?" Alice asked curiously. Bella raised an eyebrow at her. "I don't really remember what it's like to eat," Alice explained.

"How old are you?" Bella asked her.

"Um, twenty four, I guess. I was changed five years ago, and I'm physically nineteen, I think. Around nineteen. I don't remember anything from before I changed though," Alice said sadly.

"If you don't mind me asking, why'd you try _human_?" Bella asked. "Why now? After five years of being clean. I'm assuming this is the first time you've ever really had it, right?"

Alice nodded. "Three days ago I declined a man named James's application to become a vampire. He was mentally unfit, he had no special talents, no needs to become a vampire. He just wanted to." She looked down. "He came to my house, he had a young girl hostage. He told me to drink her blood or he'd kill her."

Bella's eyes widened. "Wow… Alice, I'm so sorry, I had no idea. Are you okay?"

Alice smiled thankfully. "Thanks for worrying about me, I'm fine now, yeah. Jasper came, but by the time he arrived, James had escaped. The weird thing is, they dusted his weapon and couldn't find any prints." She sighed. "I just felt like I was being watched all the time. The cravings weren't helping either."

Bella nodded. "Well, to answer your question about blueberry muffins," Bella started. "They're sweet, like… Well, it's hard to explain." She shrugged, stumped by the idea of describing the taste of food to someone who couldn't remember eating.

Alice nodded. "It's okay," she said with a smile. "Is it good?"

Bella grinned. "Yeah, it's great. Even better because a cute girl got it for me," she replied with a wink. "Thanks Alice."

Alice shook her head. "No, thank you, Bella. You and Jasper kind of saved my ass today. I feel… amazing." Alice breathed.

"Well, Alice, I'm growing rather fond of you, so don't get caught, okay?" Bella requested. Alice nodded. "I'm serious," Bella warned. "I'll die a little inside if you get caught." Bella looked away. "You're the first client I've had that's really treated me like a person."

Alice shrugged. "You are a person. A delicious person, but you're still a person." Alice smiled. "I'll treat you like a person some more if you'd like. Say… Like, tomorrow?"

"Are you asking me out?" Bella teased in mock astonishment. So she had noticed Alice's flirting.

"Yes, I guess I was," Alice replied confidently.

Bella smiled. "Well, in that case, yes, I'll go out with you," she responded, sipping her coffee. She got up. "I need to get ready for class," she explained. Alice followed her swiftly.

Alice pulled into her driveway. "I'll call you tomorrow morning to arrange plans?" Alice suggested smoothly.

Bella nodded. "Sounds good," she agreed. "Hey Alice," she murmured and if Alice hadn't been a vampire, she probably wouldn't have been able to hear her. "Thank you," she said, before getting into her car and driving away.

Alice grinned. Bella was the one for her.

**Author's note:**

**Hey, it's been a little bit. I've had sleeping troubles, but I'm starting to get back on a normal sleep schedule, so that's nice. Okay so, I'm just going to go straight into terminology and assume if you guys like my story, you'll say so, and if you don't, well, you'll say that too. Don't be shy, I like any reviews, even the "UPDATE SOON" ones. ;) **

**HVA: New Vampire/Human world branch of government that negotiates corresponding human and vampire rights. Stands for Human Vampire Alliance. **

**Volturi: Human-Blood addict rehab/prison/psych ward. Cruel ass place.**

**Hemo X: Artificial blood designed to be similar to human blood. Really bait to capture addicts. **

**Anti Senescence: The Vampirism virus . **


	3. Starbucks

**This chapter is shoooort. Sorry about that. I was going to do like an extra long one, but I figured I'd get this out ASAP rather than add another like – section thing to it. I gotta say, I really hated this, but I'd planned it in advance, so I was like fuck it, I'll write it. So uh, sorry if it's not good, I thought it sucked too, so I guess we have something in common ;)**

_Alice _

Alice scrambled noisily to get ready for her "date" with Bella. Well, date was a loose term. It was business, it was just business at a table for two. She regretted taking her third shower, trying irrationally to make herself totally presentable for the cute brunette. She heard her phone ring and walked over to check it. Noticing an unknown number and not Bella's, she ignored it and continued getting ready. Whoever it was could leave a message.

Finally, after practically tearing apart her apartment, Alice was totally ready. She bolted quickly down the stairs, only spending a few seconds surveying herself in the mirror to be sure she looked alright. She tripped over a few things that were lying carelessly on the bottom steps, but quickly recovered. She was not going to be late for her meeting with Bella.

They were meeting again, at a Starbucks. Alice's first suggestion had apparently been spot on, because Bella, like most humans, was a big coffee drinker and quite enjoyed the Starbucks treats.

However, this time they were meeting in the evening. Alice couldn't really go outside without having something covering her body, her skin burned to easily. Most vampires had light-colored long-sleeved t-shirts with hoods, specially designed for vampires. In daylight, vampires stood out that way. Or they'd have a nasty looking sunburn, even on the cloudiest days, and they would stand out even more. In what was hopefully a flirtatious comment, Bella had said that she preferred Alice with her hoodie off rather than on, and suggested they go at a better hour for the little vampire.

Alice had agreed of course. Pulling up to the café, Alice exited her car and walked briskly towards the place that was sure to be where Bella was. On her way in, she tripped on nothing more than once, but finally made it to where the pretty brunette was sitting.

"Hey," Bella greeted Alice with a light grin. "Sorry, I came kind of early. Making sure there's no one who could… Well, yeah," she said lamely.

Alice smirked. "Are we in some crime thriller now?"

"Yes!" Bella insisted. "You need to be more serious. I _really_ don't want to see you getting into trouble." She blushed a little. "You need to learn to look out for stuff. The VHA assumes that dealers will eventually take care of themselves and die off, but they're really hardcore about finding the addicts."

Alice nodded. "Okay, Bella," she said guiltily. "I'm sorry."

Bella squeezed her hand. "Don't worry about it. Just be more careful. I don't want to see anything happen to you." Alice blinked nervously and Bella continued. "Which won't happen if you stay cautious and listen to me."

"Jasper seems pretty freaked about the Volturi thing…" Alice commented anxiously. "I mean, he was really upset when I spoke with him yesterday."

"Yeah, well, Jasper's seen a lot," Bella responded with a shrug. "You're safe with me. Just do _everything _I say," she said mischievously.

"Okay Boss," Alice complied, rolling her eyes. She wondered briefly what fell under the categories of everything. Bella pushing a small, travel cup over to her interrupted Alice's increasingly dirty thoughts. "Oh, Bella, I don't drink-"

"It's not coffee," Bella hinted. "Take it, I'm being sneaky," she whispered before returning to her own cup. Alice was supposed to pay for that. She started to peal the lid off to peak inside, but Bella swatted her hand. "Don't take the lid off!" she hissed.

"Oh, right," Alice said sheepishly. She lifted the cup to her lips and let the droplets of blood fall to her hungry tongue. After a few not-so-discreet licks at the top of the cup, the smaller girl was finished. "Thanks," she panted quietly, feeling the energy that the human blood brought with it wash over her.

"Yep," Bella commented amusedly.

After a few moments, Alice regained her normal, smooth demeanor. "So, Bella," she started lazily. "Why do you only see female clients?"

"Is that your subtle way of asking what my sexual orientation is?" Bella asked amusedly.

Alice shrugged. "It depends on your answer," she replied cheekily. It honestly hadn't crossed her mind to really confirm what Jasper had said. She was just curious as to why Bella was a 'girls only' dealer.

"Well…" Bella looked away. "I only take on female clients now because a few months ago, a close friend of mine was raped and drained by one of her clients. I guess I just feel safer around female vampires." She shrugged. "I mean, I know it's dangerous either way, but at least I get rid of one hazard by doing that…"

Alice nodded. "Yeah, no, I get it. That's… Really terrible, I'm sorry." She was never good at the comforting side of things. Then again, she didn't really have much practice in comfort. Alice had few friends and none of them were very close to her. And then before that… Well, it was blank.

Bella sighed. "But um, to get us off the darker subjects… Yes, I do happen to um, swing your way? I don't know any other way of saying that." She blushed cutely and began examining her coffee cup.

Alice laughed. "You're quite the smooth talker, aren't you? And what makes you think I swing _your _way?"

"I happen to have excellent gaydar," the brunette explained. "But Jasper also more-or-less warned me that you might try something with me." She looked away embarrassedly. "Not that I think you would! Just that he said that, so I figured you were probably…"

"Jasper doesn't like me very much, does he?" Alice asked, feeling slightly hurt by the blonde police officer. She didn't know him very well, but he had seemed like a nice guy who she wouldn't mind being friends with.

Bella shook her head. "No, no," she denied. "I told him we were going out tonight and he said something like, well…" She hesitated. "Well, he said to watch out because you would try to eat me in more ways than one." At this point Bella was looking very, very similar to a tomato. "But I mean, he was just joking, you know? He didn't mean anything mean by it."

Alice nodded. "And if I did happen to play on your team?" she asked, running her fingers down the side of her cup.

"Well, I'd feel a lot less awkward about asking you out to dinner next weekend," Bella confessed, but this time apparently feeling more confident. A small smirk was playing on her lips.

"Oh yeah?" Alice teased. "What if I wanted to ask you to dinner first? I tend to be the asker in these kinds of situations."

"Well then. Go to dinner with me next weekend. There, I beat you to it." Bella stuck her tongue out and grabbed Alice's cup along with her own, getting up and walking to the trashcan without waiting for a response from the raven-haired girl.

Alice glared playfully at her. "Damn," she grumbled. "I guess I can't refuse. Dinner with one of the cutest girls I've ever seen, God, it's like a dream."

"One of the cutest girls you've ever seen?" Bella asked disbelievingly.

Alice shrugged. "Well you're definitely top ten," she assured her with a smirk.

"Only top ten?" the cute brunette asked with mock hurt evident in her voice.

"Well, top five maybe…" Alice answered, her smirk widening. Bella was, indeed, an incredibly cute, pretty and sweet girl. Possibly sexy, if Alice would ever get to see that side of the shy girl. And although she thoroughly enjoyed messing with Bella, she knew she would have to confess that Bella was, indeed, the cutest girl she had ever had the pleasure to meet. Possibly the most adorable girl on the planet.

"Top five?" Bella whined. She was pretty persistent when receiving compliments. Alice had to admit it was kind of adorable though.

Alice laughed. "Okay, top three! But I won't tell you what number you are!" she conceded, not quite showing off how truly and ridiculously cheesy she really was.

Bella grinned contentedly. "Well, I think you're really fucking sexy…" she nearly purred, sounding _very _different from before. "You've got this dark, mysterious thing going on… But then you're really sweet. And you're not like – intimidating. I think it's because you're so short." A grin spread over the brunette's face and she struggled as she tried not to laugh.

"Hey!" Alice whined, only slightly hurt by Bella's playful words. "I'll have you know, I'm tall where it counts!" As soon as it came out, Alice regretted saying it.

"Tall where it counts? What the fuck does that mean?" Bella asked in between giggles. "Or do I even want to know?"

Alice huffed embarrassedly. "Don't make jokes about my height, it makes me all flustered…"

"And adorable," Bella added. "I will keep that bit of information in my back pocket for future use…" And then her whole demeanor changed. "Shit," she hissed. "Here, kiss me."

"What?" Alice squeaked. She hadn't heard Bella right, that was the only explanation. That was the only thing that made sense. Or the possibility that she was dreaming, in which case it would make total sense, because in the next two seconds, she was being pulled across the table and her lips smashed against the brunette's.

"Play along," Bella hissed into Alice's lips. Alice kissed her back with equal force. She had no problems playing along with whatever Bella was doing.

"Ow!" Bella grumbled, breaking the kiss. A small droplet of blood was beginning to rise from a small wound on her lower lip. "Jeez, Alice, excited much?"

Alice could feel an accusatory gaze on her from the other side of the room and realized that whatever Bella was doing, it was in defense from whoever was staring at them. "I'm sorry!" the shorter girl cooed, grabbing a napkin and pressing it to the brunette's damaged lip.

"It's okay, be more careful," Bella chided, glancing behind her.

"Yes, be careful," a tall, dark haired and skinned man growled, stepping up to the table. "Giving a vampire human blood is like feeding a Mogwai after midnight."

"Uh…" Alice replied clueless as to what the fuck the guy was saying.

Bella shook her head. "She's got amnesia," she spoke for Alice, saving her from her confusion. "She probably won't get references to stupid movies like Gremlins."

"Oh…" the man said awkwardly. "Sorry, my mistake. I'm Jake – Oh shit, that rhymed." Bella and Alice ignored his corny joke. "Well, anyway, be careful. The HVA allows vampire-human dating, but blood addiction is easy to get and hard to get rid of." Alice nodded. "Well, be careful," Jake mumbled awkwardly, giving a weak wave and walking away without looking back.

"I hate Wolves…" Bella sighed, licking her injury in an attempt to sooth it. "They're so fucking nosy and awkward."

"Wolves?" Alice asked, feeling very out-of-the-loop.

Bella shook her head. "They're like vampires that still get older and don't need blood. They've been like genetically modified with some special strain of the virus. They've got enhanced strength and senses. I guess they're like the perfect super-soldier, but they use them as undercover guys to find addicts."

"He looks kind of normal…" Alice observed. "How did you know he was a, um, Wolf?"

"Well, he was sniffing all over the place, that was kind of a big clue. Their main sense for the job is smell, that's why they call them Wolves. Or Hounds. But I had to get a clear explanation for why human blood scent was in the air, so I kissed you and bit my lip."

"Oh, and here I thought you were just being really forward," the short-haired girl complained playfully.

Bella grinned. "Fowardness and saving-your-ass-ness."

"Thank you Bella, I owe you," Alice murmured, leaning in. "Can I show you my appreciation?"

Bella nodded, beginning to lean in as well. Alice reached into her pocket, fishing for the money she had brought in order to pay for the blood. She pressed the bills into Bella's hand. "Thanks, I appreciate it," Alice said with a wink.

Bella looked at her and in confusion. "But we were about to…"

Alice grinned. "I was just trying to pay you, Bella. I don't want to make out with you at a Starbucks table. That sounds kind of sleazy."

"Be less confusing then," Bella grumbled irritably. She crumpled up the bills and shoved them into her pocket. "Thanks, Alice. I'm going to get out of here, I've got studying and stuff…"

"Oh, shit, Bella I'm sorry," Alice quickly apologized, feeling panicked. She hadn't meant to really offend the other girl, just tease her a bit. "I didn't mean to offend you or anything…"

Bella smiled softly. "Don't worry about it. I'm just being a whiny bitch. Walk me to my car?"

"Fuck yeah," Alice replied, getting up from her chair quickly and rushing to the door so she could hold it for Bella.

"Wow, what fine etiquette you have," Bella commented. "God, you're such a little fucking charmer." She ran her hand through her hair, leaning against her car. "I don't know if I should be the one giving you blood."

"Why?" Alice asked nervously. "Did I do something wrong?"

Bella shook her head. "No, no. It's just… I don't know about you, but I kind of like you and I kind of think this is going somewhere. And I think that the two aspects of our relationship might get a little confusing if things progress." She sighed. "I don't want to feel like a hooker who's being paid to like, give my body to you or whatever."

"Bella," Alice started. "We're talking two trips to a café and a dinner offer sometime this weekend. We're not serious _yet_. We shouldn't be worrying about that stuff. And believe me, I don't think of you like a prostitute."

"Alice, if someone told you I was coming over, what do you think about first; Me or my blood?"

Alice looked away feeling ashamed. Although she was sincerely attracted to Bella, blood was the first thing that came to her mind when she thought of seeing the girl. "Exactly," Bella explained. "If we're going to like, go out for real, I don't want you to be excited about my blood. I want you to be excited to see me. Okay?"

Alice nodded. "Okay," she agreed weakly. "But I don't know anyone else who would…" She trailed off. How were you supposed to find someone to sell you blood anyway?

"I've got friends who sell," Bella assured her with a smile. "We tend to stick together a little bit. No, there's a whole family really. They take care of each other and their clients. I actually dated one of them." She blushed, realizing how awkward it would probably be for Alice now. "But we're um, we're over now. Like, it wasn't a bad break up, but we both knew we weren't good for each other. Oh shit, sorry I'm rambling!"

Alice grinned. "Don't worry about it, it sounds fine. I'm making a daily transaction with them, not becoming best friends." She was actually pretty antsy about meeting one of Bella's exes. One of Bella's exes who was actually human, and not some pale, blood-drinking freak. One who was most likely much hotter and who had an almost definite shot of having some memory of her past. Fucking normal people…

"Alright, well, I'm going to get out of here," Bella announced. "Thanks for meeting me here. It was nice." A wistful look crossed over her face. "Maybe show that appreciation some other way now? Since I am your hero and all…"

"Are you suggesting I kiss you here, in this dirty parking lot?" the shorter girl purred.

"I'm not suggesting it, I'm demanding it," Bella countered, pulling Alice, for the second time that day, into a kiss. Though this time she was being much less aggressive and Alice was pretty thankful for that. She was always the more dominant one in these kinds of things.

"Mm," Alice murmured after they'd broken the kiss. "So, I'll uh, see you sometime this weekend then, huh? I'll uh, call you to make plans or something." Goddamn Bella for making her so nervous and awkward.

Bella pecked her cheek. "Sounds good, Alice," she agreed, before getting into her car.

Alice grinned. "A mother fucking dinner with Bella fucking - ! Oh shit, I don't even know her last name!" she cheered once Bella was gone, punching the air and receiving dirty looks from a few people passing by. But she didn't care. Her life, after five years of nothing, was starting to look bright.

**Author's note: **

**Oh hey guys, it's been a while. Well, a while for me. I've been kind of mad busy, I went to my summer house with like ten of my friends so well, not much writing time there. But I'm back for the most part, I'll be somewhat busy over the next two weeks or so, but that's about it.**

**Oh yeah! Almost forgot! Okay, so, someone asked how much blood Bella gave up or something like that... So I'm gonna like - Answer and stuff. Okay, so, on average, a girl loses about 3 tablespoons of blood on her period. And that's like, not going to kill her, right? I mean, it feels like you're going to die sometimes, but physically it's not going to hurt you. So, in Bella's case, she's looking pretty pale, but she's not giving like a full cup of blood. It's just like, enough to spread across the bottom of the cup, y'know? Or maybe not... Anyway... Yeah.**

**Review if you'd like, God knows I feed off of them and they mean so much to me.**


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